403: Sparta wins Peloponnesian War; Athens occupied - Scroll Down for more details

"The Fall of Athens: Sparta's Triumph in the Peloponnesian War (404 BCE)"

The End of Athenian Dominance

In 404 BCE, after nearly three decades of brutal conflict, the Peloponnesian War finally reached its climax with the total defeat of Athens. The once-mighty Athenian Empire, which had dominated the Aegean with its powerful navy and democratic influence, was brought to its knees by Sparta and its allies.

Key Events Leading to Athens' Defeat

1. The Sicilian Disaster (415-413 BCE) - Athens' failed invasion of Sicily crippled its military and drained its treasury, weakening its position.
   
2. Persian Support for Sparta - The Persian Empire, seeing an opportunity to weaken Athens, provided financial aid to Sparta, enabling them to build a formidable navy.
   
3. The Battle of Aegospotami (405 BCE) - The Spartan admiral Lysander annihilated the Athenian fleet in a surprise attack, cutting off Athens' vital grain supply from the Black Sea.

The Siege and Surrender of Athens

With its navy destroyed and its harbors blockaded, Athens faced starvation. The city held out through the winter of 405-404 BCE, but with no hope of relief, it finally surrendered in April 404 BCE. The terms imposed by Sparta were harsh:
- The destruction of Athens' defensive Long Walls and its navy (except for a token force).
- The dissolution of the Delian League (Athens' empire).
- The installation of a pro-Spartan oligarchy, known as the Thirty Tyrants, who ruled Athens with brutal repression.

Aftermath and Legacy

• The Thirty Tyrants' Reign - The oligarchic regime executed and exiled democratic leaders, leading to a brief but bloody civil war before democracy was restored in 403 BCE.
  
• Spartan Hegemony - Sparta emerged as the dominant power in Greece, though its victory was short-lived, as internal strife and Persian interference soon weakened its position.
  
• Athens' Recovery - Despite its humiliation, Athens would eventually rebuild its democracy and regain some influence, though it never fully restored its former imperial glory.

The fall of Athens marked the end of the Golden Age of Greece and reshaped the balance of power in the ancient world. The war's lessons on the dangers of overreach, factionalism, and imperial ambition would echo through history.

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